The latest discovery by Liu Zhicheng, a researcher at the Quanzhou Maritime Museum - he studied two books, "Zheng He the Outstanding Navigator" written by Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan and "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by Japanese scholar Uesugi Millennium. It was discovered in the book: Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty once went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to work as a monk.
This statement caused great controversy in the literary and historical circles of Quanzhou. Many experts here believe that this statement is purely pretentious and is not credible in history. But there are also many people who are skeptical: "There is no record, how can we deny it completely?"
How credible is the theory that "Emperor Jianwen once went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to be a monk"? Please see Follow up reports.
The discovery was purely accidental. How did Liu Zhicheng, a researcher at the Quanzhou Maritime Transport Bureau who reported the information to reporters, first know about this situation?
It turns out that at the beginning of this year, a group of Taiwanese scholars came to Quanzhou to inspect the ancient kiln site. One of the scholars was a friend of Liu, and he had a phone call with Liu before coming. Liu said: "At that time, I was preparing the paper materials for Zheng He's seminar, and I asked by the way if there were any books on Zheng He's research in Taiwan."
Soon, the Taiwanese scholar became Liu's I brought the book "Zheng He, the Outstanding Navigator" written by Chen Shuiyuan.
"I didn't expect it. I gained a lot. The fact that Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty once went to Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple to be a monk is a completely new statement!" Liu said that he planned to submit this opinion to Zheng Zheng at that time. and seminars.
Later, he looked through other materials and found the same statement again in the book "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by the Japanese scholar Uesugi Millennium. "I bought this book at Xiaofeng Bookstore in Quanzhou in 2003. It was sold in several bookstores at that time, and is now in the collection of the Overseas Chinese History Museum's reference room," Liu said.
The source is confusing. "The source is very vague!" "Is the author of this book authoritative in the academic world?"... Experts and scholars have questioned the source of this statement.
According to Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan's book, he learned about the records of Emperor Jianwen from an American scholar, and the American scholar obtained them from the Japanese book "The Great Voyage". "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by the Japanese scholar Uesugi Qian did not indicate the source. Unfortunately, no one in Quanzhou has said that they have read the Japanese book "The Voyage". Li Yukun only found "Night Talk on the Great Navigation" by another Japanese scholar, Izawa Minoru, in the collection of the Quanzhou Maritime Exchange Museum.
"However, this book does exist." Li Yukun said that he had seen an author quoting the views of the book "The Great Voyage" in a paper.
So, who are the two authors who drew relevant views from it? The reporter found out that Chen Shuiyuan is from Changhua, Taiwan, has a master's degree in management, a doctorate in agriculture, and is a part-time university lecturer and associate professor. However, no records have been found yet in the Japanese scholar Uesugi Qian's data.
Is it impossible for Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to accommodate Emperor Jianwen?
Some readers raised questions:
Assuming that Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty did become a monk in the first year of Yongle (AD 1403), what was the situation at Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou at this time? ? Is it consistent with the statements of Taiwanese and Japanese scholars?
Professor Wu Youxiong, an expert on local history in Quanzhou and former director of the history department of Quanzhou Normal University, said that in the early Ming Dynasty, from a national perspective, Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple was just a medium-sized temple, mainly due to its east-west pagodas and altar. famous. The ordination altar is the place where tantric ordination is received. Apart from temples in Beijing and Hangzhou that have ordination altars, only Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou has one.
According to relevant records in "Quanzhou Prefecture Chronicles", Kaiyuan Temple was located in the political, economic and cultural center of Quanzhou in the early Ming Dynasty. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple began to decline. There was an army stationed in the temple, and soldiers also smelted weapons here.
"Thus, I deny that Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty came to Kaiyuan Temple!" Professor Wu said, on the one hand, under the general background of the time, taking Emperor Jianwen in Quanzhou would risk beheading. Why should Kaiyuan Temple, a medium-sized temple, take this risk? On the other hand, Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou is located in the local political center, and the offices of Quanzhou Prefecture and Jinjiang County are nearby. It is extremely unsafe for Emperor Jianwen to go here. He might as well go to a temple in a remote mountain. In addition, the port of Quanzhou in the Ming Dynasty was no longer as prosperous as before. Why did Emperor Jianwen have to flee from Quanzhou?
"Where does the Japanese scholar's theory come from? We have no way of verifying it now. Even if there is evidence, we cannot rely on one person's words. The Japanese also said that Yang Yuhuan ended up in Japan. It is a unilateral statement. , who admits it?" Professor Wu said.
Is the theory of Emperor Jianwen’s self-immolation untenable?
According to relevant writings, after the "Battle of Jingnan", there are two main historical theories about the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen: one is that Emperor Jianwen fled and became a monk, and the other is that he burned himself. For the theory that "Emperor Jianwen once went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to be a monk" to be true, the premise must be that the "self-immolation theory" is not true. When the reporter checked historical materials yesterday, he found that most literary and historical experts also held a negative attitude towards the "theory of Emperor Jianwen's self-immolation".
According to the "Records" and "Manuscript of the History of the Ming Dynasty" in the Yongle period, after Emperor Jianwen succeeded to the throne, he "used the plans of Qi Tai, Minister of the Ministry of War, and Huang Zicheng, Qing of the Great Chang Dynasty, to decide on the plan to reduce the vassal state." Zhu Di, who was leading the troops outside and was the king of Yan, immediately raised his troops and went south under the banner of "Qing Jun Side" to launch the "Jingnan Campaign".
In less than four years, the King of Yan crossed the Yangtze River and marched to the gates of Nanjing. Emperor Jianwen sued for peace and refused, so he had to defend. However, his commander Li Jinglong opened the Jinchuan Gate to welcome the King of Yan's army into the city. All civil and military officials in the court surrendered. Seeing that the situation was over, Emperor Jianwen had no choice but to order the palace to be burned down. Suddenly the fire was blazing. Emperor Jianwen and his queen, Ma Shi, jumped into the fire and burned themselves. Most of their concubines and attendants also died in the fire. After King Zhu Di of Yan entered the palace, the Qing Palace searched for the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen for three days. The palace attendants all said that Emperor Jianwen had set himself on fire, and they pulled out a charred corpse from the fire to prove it. When King Yan saw the corpse, he could no longer distinguish its identity. After he succeeded to the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, he "buried Emperor Jianwen with the rites of the Son of Heaven." "History of the Ming Dynasty: The Benji of Chengzu" and "History of the Ming Dynasty: The Biography of Fang Xiaoru" both hold this view.
However, it is recorded in "History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography of Yao Guangxiao": After Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, became emperor, he had doubts about Emperor Jianwen's death by self-immolation. Some people also told him that the burnt corpse was that of a horse. The empress's wife, Emperor Jianwen, cut off his hair and became a monk and fled.
"History of Ming Dynasty: Biography of Zheng He" also records: Emperor Yongle suspected that Emperor Jianwen had fled overseas, so he asked Zheng He and Wang Jingxian to go to the West to find his whereabouts. In addition, historical records of the Ming Dynasty, such as Xiangqing's "Records of the Revolution", also clearly record Zheng He's secret purpose of going to the West.
Did Emperor Jianwen finally escape to Indonesia via Quanzhou?
Since there are many doubts among historians about the "theory of Emperor Jianwen's self-immolation", whether Emperor Jianwen really went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to become a monk and finally fled through Quanzhou, as these two scholars from Taiwan and Japan said. What about overseas? In this regard, some readers provided relevant positive evidence to this newspaper.
"Descendants of Emperor Jianwen were recently discovered in Indonesia!" The reader showed this newspaper the fourth issue of "Guanghua" magazine in 1997, which stated:
People discovered that, On the east coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, there is a remote and independent village where a group of Chinese people have lived for generations. They have still maintained ancient and strong Chinese customs for many years. In Indonesia, a country composed of more than 3,000 islands, they It is likely that he is a descendant of Emperor Jianwen.
There is also a very special point. They only understand Chinese and not Indonesian. They mostly make a living by fishing. Every year on May 16th of the lunar calendar, a rare and grand ceremony to worship the "Emperor" is held here, among which the burning of dragon boats is the most grand. And this day was the day when Emperor Jianwen ascended the throne. On that day, in addition to all the men, women, and children in the village, villagers from neighboring islands were also attracted to watch this annual ceremony.
Who is the "Emperor"? No one knows. What is intriguing is that most of the Chinese here have the surname "Hong". The reign names of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang and Emperor Jianwen were both "Hongwu".
It is said that Emperor Jianwen and his followers changed their surname to Hong in order to express their loyalty and nostalgia for their homeland after they fled to Indonesia.
There have long been rumors in the literary and historical circles that Emperor Jianwen visited Quanzhou
"Whether Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty visited Quanzhou is a question that a researcher from the Palace Museum told me two years ago. I’ve heard relevant rumors,” Hong Hong, who works in the Political and Legal Affairs Committee of the Quanzhou Municipal Committee, told reporters yesterday.
"However, I searched through all the relevant books in the Quanzhou Library and found no relevant content." Hong Hong said. Li Yukun, a researcher at the Quanzhou Maritime Affairs Bureau, also said that no relevant records were found.
"It is possible that there is no record. At that time, if Emperor Jianwen fled to Quanzhou, it must have been a secret. How could anyone easily know it?" Li Yukun thought, "But the Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan mentioned that the abbot of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou said that According to common sense, the sea should be recorded."
Unfortunately, Li Yukun only found in "Kaiyuan Temple Chronicles" that in June of the 30th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, monk Zhengying served as the abbot of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou. In the first year of Yongle, he went to Xuefeng Temple in Fuzhou, and then to Linggu Temple in Nanjing. The monk Yuanyuan who was later recorded was already in the first month of the eighteenth year of Yongle when he became the abbot of Kaiyuan Temple.
In the past 17 years, who were the abbots of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou? Is Abbot Nianhai mentioned by Taiwanese and Japanese scholars one of them? The records in historical materials are blank.
"We still don’t have complete information on how many abbots there were in Kaiyuan Temple in the Ming Dynasty." Li Yukun said that even if someone is supplementing the "Kaiyuan Temple Chronicles" now, due to its long history, the completeness and comprehensiveness are still limited. You have to put a question mark.
"So, we cannot deny it outright." Director Zeng Qingsheng of the Quanzhou Municipal Maritime Silk Road Office said that it is human nature to question a freshman's views. Only after some research can we know whether it is tenable.
Reading Digest
Title: "Emperor Jianwen went to Quan to become a monk" Is there any more evidence?
Author: Lu Yeya
Book and newspaper title: "Straits Metropolis Daily" A4 page on October 17, 2004
Is it purely a literary and historical drama or is it true? Believable? In recent days, the theory that "Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty once worked as a monk at Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou" has caused great controversy in the literary and historical circles. Some people affirm it, some people deny it, and some people are doubtful.
Just as all parties are engaged in fierce debate, yesterday, the original reporter Liu Zhicheng "broke" new news: the Quanzhou Ke genealogy contains records of Emperor Jianwen, and the "Outstanding Navigator Zheng He" written by Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan The relevant records in "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by the Japanese scholar Uesugi Qianqian can be found in the history - "Emperor Jianwen went to Quan to become a monk" is another evidence?
Core tip:
In the past few days, a puff of smoke has filled the literary and historical circles of Quanzhou, and the focus has been on whether Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty had ever been a monk at Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou.
In the face of doubts from most literary and historical experts, Liu Zhicheng, a researcher at the Quanzhou Maritime Affairs Bureau, presented new explosive information to reporters yesterday - the genealogy of the surname Ke in Quanzhou records that an ancestor took him in during the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Jianwen!
This is consistent with what is recorded in the two books "Zheng He the Outstanding Navigator" written by Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan and "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by Japanese scholar Uesugi Millennium "Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty went to Quanzhou to open the Yuan Dynasty Can the saying "become a monk in a temple" be mutually confirmed?
On the same day, Liu Zhicheng also revealed to reporters that the authenticity and authoritativeness of the book "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" has been added. A picture of the information attached to the book can be found at the Quanzhou Maritime Maritime Museum Find the real thing!
As relevant historical materials and records emerge one after another, the theory that "Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty once went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to become a monk" seems to be developing in a certain direction. Can this period of Ming history that has troubled the Chinese literary and historical circles for more than 600 years really find a breakthrough in Quanzhou?
The genealogy of the surname Ke records: The ancestor took in Emperor Jianwen
At that time, he hid Emperor Jianwen, and it is very likely that he introduced Emperor Jianwen to his hometown in Quanzhou.
"This statement has been studied by some people in Quanzhou's literary and historical circles in the early years!" Liu Zhicheng said, Mr. Wang Hongtao, who once served in Quanzhou Maritime Affairs Bureau and Quanzhou Cultural Management Committee, is one of them.
Wang Hongtao is one of the early pioneers of Quanzhou local history. This is recorded in the book "The Collection of Late Silkworms" written by him and published by Huaxing Publishing House in May 1993.
Yesterday, the reporter looked through the chapter "Records about the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen in the genealogy of Ke" in "Wancanji" (written in January 1975), and there was a paragraph in it:
There is a record in the "Qingyuan Old Events Liumo Chapter" in the "Qingyuan Literature Compilation and Continuation" compiled by Ke Xun'an. The article states: "During the Ming Dynasty, Jianwen's death was regarded as a rumor. I, Ke's old According to the family genealogy, the clan's great uncle Shilong was the captain of Jurong County in Jiangning Prefecture. He hid Lord Jianwen, but his family was wiped out! His relatives only buried his lower body... and built a Zhongyong Temple to worship him..."
It means that after the "Battle of Jingnan", the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen was a mystery. There is a record in Ke's old family tree that one of his great uncles, Shilong Gong, was the captain of Jurong County in Nanjing at that time. He took in Emperor Jianwen at that time and his whole family was killed.
According to "Wancanji", Ke Xun'an was a native of Jiangtang City in Jin Dynasty. He was a Jinshi during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. He wrote many works, among which "The Continuation of the Compilation of Qingyuan Documents" was one of them. His manuscripts were collected in Jiefang The former Peiyuan Middle School was discovered in 1953 during a cultural relics exhibition in Jinjiang area and used as an exhibit. Due to poor protection in the past, some parts of the book were damaged by moths. It was later sent to the Fujian Normal University Library and became the library's rare book collection.
"It can be seen that Shilonggong was pro-Jianwen Emperor. He hid Emperor Jianwen at that time and probably introduced Emperor Jianwen to his hometown in Quanzhou. After Emperor Jianwen served as a monk in Kaiyuan Temple for a period of time, he then Fleeing from Quanzhou," Liu Zhicheng said. In this regard, Quanzhou folk archeology enthusiast Xiao Zusheng also holds the same view.
The works of two scholars: well-documented history
Is it necessary for a scholar to spend ten years joking about history?
According to Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan's book, "Zheng He, the Outstanding Navigator" took him ten years of hard work to complete, most of which was spent consulting historical materials.
"It can be seen that the author wrote it after some research, and it can never be a 'joking'." Liu Zhicheng said, "If you think about it, it is necessary for a scholar to spend ten years joking. History? ”
In the book, “Emperor Jianwen once went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to be a monk” traces its roots to the book "The Great Voyage" by a Japanese scholar. According to Li Yukun, a researcher at the Quanzhou Maritime Affairs Bureau, there are many people in academic circles who quote the book "The Great Voyage". Since it is cited by so many people, it must have historical value.
The book "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by the Japanese scholar Uesugi Qian and seen by the reporter is full of pictures and texts. "The information and pictures in the book are all authentic. For example, the photo of a rubbing of a stele attached to the article is one of the tombstones of a Quanzhou official who was sent to Persia (now Iran). The tombstone is now hidden in the Quanzhou Sea Liu Zhicheng said that a few years ago, he himself was ordered to carve out the tombstone at the Quanzhou Maritime Museum, and then someone from the museum sent it to Japan.
"So, although the source of the book is not stated, its authenticity is not doubtful." Xiao Zusheng, a folk archeology enthusiast in Quanzhou, said.
“Moreover, China’s lost cultural and historical materials exist in many places abroad.
"Xiao Zusheng further introduced that, for example, the "Zutangji", regarded as a national treasure of South Korea, is the earliest existing collection of Zen historical materials in China. Near Bixiao Rock in the middle of Yuanshan Mountain, it was destroyed in the war) and compiled by Zen Masters Miao Jing and Jun Er. But why was it lost in Quanzhou and even China before and was finally reprinted and published in Japan before the "Zitang Collection" was republished? China.
"There are precedents for learning some little-known Chinese history from abroad. There were early exchanges between Quanzhou and overseas academic circles. "Quanzhou Prefecture Chronicles" records that since the Tang Dynasty, Japan, North Korea and other countries have sent specialized scholars to Quanzhou to collect books and cultural and historical materials. Moreover, during the Ming Dynasty, some monks from Quanzhou went overseas to teach scriptures and may also have brought some local books and materials with them. The "Chronicles of the Travels of Zen Master Mu'an" compiled and printed by Wanshou Zen Temple in Kaiyuan, Quanzhou, also records that Monk Mu'an was one of the eminent monks who visited Japan during the Ming Dynasty. " Xiao Zusheng said.
"Therefore, we cannot easily deny the new discoveries of overseas scholars just because it was lost in China. Liu Zhicheng said.
Zheng He's visit to the spring can prove that Emperor Jianwen came to the spring
But this is based on the hidden purpose of "Zheng He's voyages to the West were to find Emperor Jianwen."
"If the theory that 'Emperor Jianwen served as a monk in Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou' is confirmed, it will certainly add evidence to 'Zheng He went to Quanzhou on his voyages to the West'. "Zheng Mengbiao, a literary and history enthusiast in Quanzhou, said. On the contrary, if the latter statement is true, is it also a confirmation of the former?
At present, most literary and historical experts such as Li Yukun, a researcher at the Quanzhou Maritime Affairs Bureau, believe that "Zheng He "He came to Quanzhou" is said to be "evidenced by Zheng He's incense stele and the Quanzhou Prefecture Chronicles".
"Of course, the correlation between the two must be established on the basis that Zheng He's voyages to the West were in search of Emperor Jianwen's hidden purpose. "Liu Zhicheng said.
Domestic scholars have shown that Zheng He's voyages to the West were on the one hand under the guise of promoting national prestige and expanding maritime trade, and on the other hand the contemporary imperial court implemented a "sea ban" policy, which itself is a This is a contradiction. Moreover, with the end of Zheng He's voyages to the West, the "sea ban" became more stringent. This must have a hidden motive, which is to find traces of Emperor Jianwen. This is recorded in many historical materials, and it is the earliest and most popular. The most widespread.
Xu Liqun wrote in the section of "Chinese History: The Three Treasures Eunuchs Sailed to the West": "The purpose of Emperor Yongle sending Zheng He to sail was to find Emperor Jianwen, because Emperor Yongle usurped the throne of Emperor Jianwen. Later, Emperor Jianwen disappeared. Emperor Yongle was afraid that he would escape abroad and come back for restoration in the future, so he sent people to look for him. "Others such as Fan Wenlan's "Compendium of General History of China" and Wu Han's "Foreign Policy in the Early Ming Dynasty and Zheng He's Voyages to the West" also believe that in addition to economic factors, Zheng He's voyages also carried the emperor's secret mission. This secret mission It is to find the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen.
Reader response:
This theory is helpful to enhance the popularity of Quanzhou
Zheng Mengbiao, a lover of literature and history:
I think it is very possible that "Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to become a monk": 1. The new explanation of the historical mystery cannot be easily denied based on the mindset. If the relevant records of the abbot of Kaiyuan Temple, Nian Hai, can be found. , doesn’t it become a new explanation? 2. It cannot be denied that one of Zheng He’s missions was to find Emperor Jianwen. This theory is not groundless, not to mention that there is no convincing evidence for the “self-immolation theory”. Finding information in "official history" has little effect, so we should collect folklore. 3. This theory is worthy of discussion and will help improve Quanzhou's reputation. If it is true, it will also be a strong evidence that Zheng He went to Quanzhou on his voyages to the West.
I once found a jade pendant from the Ming Dynasty at Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou
Mr. Lin, an enthusiastic reader:
After reading the report in "Straits Metropolis Daily", it reminded me of 26 years ago A recent incident. In 1978, I was working in Quanzhou. One day I was visiting the east tower of the Kaiyuan Temple. I discovered a miracle next to the earthen fence of a longan tree: a Hetian white jade "dragon pattern strip" under my feet. 8 cm, 6 cm high, 0.8 cm thick, about 80 grams in weight, made of white jade, with a strong sense of jade and a strong sense of momentum. The theme is a flying dragon, with a red bird on the left and a bat on the bottom. (incense burner, umbrella), the lower center is a "bridge", the lower layer is carved with scroll patterns. It is very fine, like a tight grid, and has a strong three-dimensional effect. I washed it for a long time in the first half of this year. This object was identified as an item from the Ming Dynasty by the Provincial Museum expert "Zhang Yan". Can this object prove that Emperor Jianwen visited Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou?
Related background:
The "Jing Dynasty" in the Ming Dynasty. "Difficult Battle"
"History of the Ming Dynasty" records that in 1398 AD, Zhu Yuanzhang died and Emperor Jianwen succeeded to the throne. After succeeding to the throne, he and his trusted ministers implemented the policy of "cutting down the vassal vassal". He first sent troops to surprise Kaifeng, He arrested King Zhu Su of Zhou, deposed him as a commoner, and demoted him to Yunnan. Then he captured King Zhu Bian of Min (enemies Hunan and Wugang), King Zhu Bai of Xiang (enemies Jiangling, Hubei), King Zhu Bo of Qi (enemies Yidu, Shandong), and Dai Wang Zhu Gui (enemies Datong, Shanxi). When Zhu Bai got the news, he was either demoted to civilians or imprisoned, and the whole family burned themselves to death. Princes from all over the country were in panic.
In the second year of Emperor Jianwen's reign, Zhu Di, the king of Yan who enfeoffed Beijing, raised the banner of "Qing Jun Side" (meaning to eliminate the bad guys around Emperor Jianwen) and launched the "Battle of Jingnan". Emperor Jianwen sent troops to attack. At first, Zhu Di was defeated and almost destroyed. The Central Army originally had various advantages, but due to improper recruitment and other reasons, it was defeated by Zhu Di two years later (1402 AD) and Nanjing was destroyed. At that time, there was a fire in the palace, and Emperor Jianwen disappeared without a trace. Someone dug out a charred corpse from the rubble and identified it as Emperor Jianwen. Zhu Di buried it hastily with the rites of an emperor. After that, he became emperor and was known as Ming Chengzu in history.
The Forbidden City of the Ming Dynasty is really authentic
There are countless records about the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen. It is not an exaggeration to describe it as "a lot of people". Many "escape theories" of Emperor Jianwen believe that Emperor Jianwen escaped from the tunnels of the Forbidden City of the Ming Dynasty. For example, Professor Huang Yunmei, an expert on Ming history, said in the article "Ma Shenglong Phoenix Terrace Chronicles" cited in "Ming History Research": "The sewer in the palace leads directly to the Tucheng. Outside, it is two feet high and eight feet wide, with enough space for one person and one horse to sneak out in case of disaster. "Therefore, finding this tunnel will be of great significance to prove Emperor Jianwen's escape."
It is reported that in the 1980s, Nanjing archaeologists did excavate the ruins of an ancient "big ditch" during the construction of the Forbidden City in the Ming Dynasty. This ditch may be the imperial ditch secret passage. Researcher Ji Shijia from the Institute of History of the Jiangsu Academy of Social Sciences also said that outside the Taiping Gate, there is indeed a drainage channel extending from the Ming Forbidden City, which is wide and can accommodate people.
It was a precedent for an emperor to come to Quanzhou
"It was a precedent for an emperor to come to Quanzhou!" Wu Tinghui, a retired teacher in Quanzhou, revealed to reporters that the last two emperors of the Song Dynasty had visited Quanzhou. Many people in Quanzhou know this.
According to the investigation, "Quanzhou Prefecture Chronicles", "Jinjiang County Chronicles" and "Fujian General Chronicles" have records that Song Duanzong (reigned from 1276 to 1278) and his younger brother Song Dynasty were attacked by Yuan soldiers. King Wei fled to Quanzhou, intending to use Quanzhou as an anti-Yuan base. As a result, Pu Shougeng, who was the local governor of Quanzhou at the time, saw that they were defeated and closed the city gate tightly. Song Duanzong had no choice but to go to Guangdong.
"There are lessons from our ancestors, so it is not impossible for Emperor Jianwen to come to Quanzhou when he was in trouble." Liu Zhicheng said.
Reading Digest
Title: Emperor Jianwen of Ming Dynasty went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to be a monk
Author: Lu Yeya
Title of book and newspaper : "Straits Metropolis Daily", Page A15, October 15, 2004
This may be the most controversial and surprising discovery in the cultural and historical circles of Quanzhou this year. Liu Zhicheng, a researcher at the Quanzhou Overseas Transportation Museum, reported to this newspaper: He discovered from two books, "Zheng He the Outstanding Navigator" written by Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan and "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by Japanese scholar Uesugi Millennium - Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to become a monk.
Core tip:
Emperor Jianwen Zhu Yunwen of the Ming Dynasty once worked as a monk at Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, and one of Zheng He’s secret purposes in his voyages to the West was to track down the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen?
This is such an incredible thing, but there are books to prove it.
According to Liu Zhicheng, a researcher at the Quanzhou Overseas Transportation Museum, "The Outstanding Navigator Zheng He" (December 2000 edition, published by Morning Star Publishing Co., Ltd.) written by Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan and "Zheng He" by Japanese scholar Uesugi Millennium Both books "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" (May 2003 edition, published by Shanghai Social Sciences Press) record exactly the same content.
Did Emperor Jianwen really become a monk in Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou? Why did he come? Or is this just a rumor?
The whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen was once one of the "four major mysteries" in history
According to historical records, Emperor Jianwen Zhu Yunwen was the second-generation emperor of the Ming Dynasty. His father, Zhu Biao, was the eldest son of Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty. He was established as prince in his early years, but unfortunately died young. Afterwards, Zhu Yuanzhang made Zhu Yunwen the emperor's grandson. When Zhu Yuanzhang died, he was 21 years old and began to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor.
However, only four years after Emperor Jianwen succeeded to the throne, his uncle, the later Yongle Emperor Zhu Di, seized the throne. This was the "Jingnan Incident" in history. Since then, the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen has been an unsolved mystery: Did he die by self-immolation or became a monk? Or even living abroad? There are different opinions and no consensus, making this unsolved case one of the "four major mysteries" in Chinese history.
Did Emperor Jianwen go to Quanzhou to wait to escape?
According to the two books "Zheng He the Outstanding Navigator" and "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" and Liu Zhicheng's introduction, before Emperor Jianwen fell into trouble, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang left him an iron box and asked him to Open when disaster strikes. During the "Jingnan Incident", Emperor Jianwen opened the iron box and found that there was a certificate (this is the identity certificate of a monk), monk's robes, a razor and some platinum inside.
So, Emperor Jianwen followed Ming Taizu's instructions and fled with his entourage disguised as monks.
Emperor Jianwen and his entourage followed the Yangtze River from Nanjing to Wuchang Luohan Temple. The abbot of Luohan Temple, Monk Daxuan, was a well-known eminent monk throughout the country. Many monks at Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou at that time were his disciples, including Monk Nianhai, the abbot of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou at that time, which is still difficult to confirm.
After seeing Emperor Jianwen's ultimatum, Daxuan quickly introduced Emperor Jianwen and his entourage into the temple, and contacted Nian Hai, the abbot of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, to let Emperor Jianwen and others pass.
Later, Emperor Jianwen went south via Yingtan, Jiangxi and other places, and arrived in Quanzhou at the end of the first year of Yongle (1403). After working as a monk in Kaiyuan Temple for a period of time, he traveled across the ocean. Some people say that Emperor Jianwen went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to become a monk just to wait for the opportunity to flee.
Ming Chengzu sent people to search for Emperor Jianwen?
After Emperor Yongle, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, ascended the throne, he was always worried that Emperor Jianwen would flee before he died. Before sending Zheng He to the Western Seas, he had already traced the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen in the inland areas. In addition to promoting the country's prestige and expanding China's maritime trade, Zheng He's voyages to the West also had a secret purpose of tracking down the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen.
At the end of the first month of the second year of Yongle, Emperor Yongle sent Zheng He's old friend Li Ting to Wuchang to trace the traces of Emperor Jianwen. Li Ting confirmed from Luohan Temple in Wuchang that in the first year of Yongle (1403), two monks visited. One was about thirty years old, and the other was in his twenties. He was gentle and polite, with a white face and a bookish temperament, and his face was slightly ugly. exhausted. According to calculations, Emperor Jianwen should have been around 25 years old at that time. If he had become a monk, he would have been a young monk.
According to the memories of the little monk who served these two monks, he heard the two chanting each other. Among them, the young monk chanted: "The moon is soaked in the vast river when we say goodbye", "Suddenly I heard the pipa playing on the water" Voice". The older monk responded with a poem from Bai Juyi's "Pipa Xing": "The Xunyang River sees off guests on the first night."
Li Ting heard from the poem that the two seemed to be heading towards Xunyang (ancient name Jiangzhou, now Jiujiang), and immediately went to Xunyang. He checked one by one in the local temples, but finally found no whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen. Finally, I found a water transport operator and was told: "In September last year (the first year of Yongle, 1403 AD), two monks roamed together in Jiangyuan Temple in Xingzi Town, southern Jiangzhou. The latter two took a boat to go south to Poyang. "Li Ting then went south, and heard on the way: "Two monks entered Pojiang from the east bank of Poyang Lake, and then hired a boat to Xinjiang."
Li Ting. He traveled to the Xinjiang River Basin and tried his best to find out the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen. He checked all the streets, towns, settlements, and mountainside of Yingtan in the Xinjiang River Basin. I accidentally learned that in the first year of Yongle, a salt merchant accompanied two monks and set out from Yingtan, Jiangxi to the south, possibly towards Fujian.
Did Zheng He go to the West under orders to find Emperor Jianwen?
This news made Li Ting think that Emperor Jianwen might have thought of Fujian and then fled overseas.
Quanzhou, Fujian, is located in southern Fujian to the south of Fuzhou, next to the intersection of Jinjiang River and Luoyang River. It has been the largest port in China since the Song Dynasty, also known as "Citong Port". If Emperor Jianwen fled overseas, it would be most convenient to go from Quanzhou.
Li Ting quickly arrived in Quanzhou. He first visited Monk Nianhai, a disciple of Daxuan and abbot of Kaiyuan Temple. According to reports, at the end of the first year of Yongle, two men took a ship on the Arabian Line to Indonesia. Later, the merchant ship ran aground in Guangdong and drifted to Hainan Island. Li Ting received this information and quickly took a boat to Qiongzhou (now Haikou) on Hainan Island to investigate. After visiting for more than a month, I went deep into Yazhou in the south, and I did see a damaged Arab ship. During this period, someone told him that he had seen a young man who looked like Emperor Jianwen waiting to board a boat to Indonesia in Yazhou. Emperor Jianwen may have gone overseas by ship.
After Li Ting reported to Ming Chengzu, Ming Chengzu ordered him to sail to the West with Zheng He to continue looking for Emperor Jianwen. Zheng He once visited Quanzhou during his voyages to the West. This is the common knowledge of most cultural and historical experts in Quanzhou. There are physical objects such as Zheng He's incense stele in the holy tomb as evidence.
If this is a historical fact, why is there no record in Kaiyuan Temple?
Is the authoritativeness of the accounts in the two books of Taiwanese scholar Chen Shuiyuan and Japanese scholar Uesugi?
According to Chen Shuiyuan's book, he learned about the records about Emperor Jianwen from an American scholar, and the American scholar obtained them from the Japanese book "The Great Voyage". "Zheng He's Voyages to the West" written by the Japanese scholar Uesugi Qian did not indicate the source. "But this was translated and published by Shanghai Social Sciences Press, and the publication must have its historical value." Liu Zhicheng believes.
Regarding this question, the reporter visited several experts and eminent monks at Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou on the 13th.
Everyone said that they had never heard of the statement that "Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty went to Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou to become a monk" before. Quanzhou cultural and historical experts are also skeptical about this. On the one hand, there are no relevant records in Kaiyuan Temple; on the other hand, this statement must be based on denying the "self-immolation theory of Emperor Jianwen". However, after Emperor Yongle Zhu Di came to the throne, he ordered a search for Emperor Jianwen. It is said that there is a certain historical basis.
On the 13th, the reporter checked the "Kaiyuan Temple Chronicles" together with several eminent monks, and found no records related to this matter; even the Ming Yongle Leyuan mentioned in "The Outstanding Navigator Zheng He" Monk Nianhai, the abbot of Kaiyuan Temple during that time, could not find any relevant records. In this regard, Liu Zhicheng said: ""Kaiyuan Temple Chronicles" was written in the Ming Dynasty. It mainly records the eminent monks of Kaiyuan Temple in the Tang, Five Dynasties and Song and Yuan Dynasties. There are not many records of eminent monks in the Ming Dynasty.
”
Elder Li Tiren of the Quanzhou Buddhist Museum took out the "Kaiyuan Temple Chronicles" he recently added, which added the list of eminent monks of Kaiyuan Temple after the Ming Dynasty, as well as the "Quanzhou Prefecture Chronicles" and "Jinjiang County Chronicles" "Book of Fujian" and other eminent monks have been recorded. "It should be said that these materials are very comprehensive, and basically all the eminent monks in Kaiyuan Temple will not be missed. "Old man Li said for sure. But there is still no name for Nian Hai. "So, there is still a question mark as to whether monk Nian Hai is indeed a person. "Old man Li said.
If Nian Hai cannot be confirmed, how can people believe that the story about Emperor Jianwen working as a monk in Quanzhou is true?